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I know this isn't Fett, but I know there are some Vader-heads out there on TDH. I'm posting this all over the place to get constructive criticism. I'm not looking for compliments (although I'll take 'em if you got 'em. LOL), but rather any input on what features are good, bad or indifferent about it. I am already looking at making the chin grill slightly larger, so that's taken care of.

The story is that this is a HEAVILLY reworked mask from my ANH - not just details changed, but almost every angle, surface and contour has been reworked to various degrees. The dome had a lot of work in it as well, as it is one of my old warped "ESB" domes I had sitting around. Essentially, the flange is all but replaced and the dome has been re-shaped by building up some areas and grinding down others. The brows have been reconstructed pretty much entirely, as they were too small and sloped inward on the one I started with. I want to eventually make molds from the sculpture, but I want to get feedback on it before I start. Anyway -

Looking at it closely, (it could be off, Pics never look the same as actually seeing it) The Dome, even though re worked is still missing the unevenness of Vader's Left to right Flare at the edges of his Helmet (for those who do not know what I'm talking about, Vader's Dome in ANH is off Centered, His left flare is closer to the face then the right (see ref pics also the widow's peek (a signature for ANH) is absent, (again see ref Pics). His Face is too small and the Helmet is TOO BIG, Did this come together? or did you piece it? It Looks like an SPFX'S Face but the Dome I'm not sure a DP/Deluxe or Rubies?

Well, either it doesn't really show well in my pics, or I didn't give the dome enough unevenness. I did actually give it that left/right uneven feature to the dome, but maybe I need to pronounce it a tad more.

I don't think the larger pic of the ANH Vader is a good one to compare with, as I think that one looks distorted, the face looks bigger than it should. You'll notice in the smaller pic you posted below that the helmet appears larger in proportion to the face. I would rather go by measurements than by pictures when possible. Mine measures about 9.5" across the base of the dome (forehead level) by about 10.5" deep, front to back (outside measurement).

The face is not an SPFX. It's from a mask I got a few years ago and - although I think it had some relationship to maybe a DP Deluxe - it had been heavily modified to look inaccurate... for some reason I cannot fathom. I did a lot of work on it just to get it to the stage where I felt I liked it enough to make my ANH from. The dome probably came from something like a Classic Action recast, but I don't really know, because - as with the face - changes had been made to the shape.

The other thing is that the pics are from ANH and my helmet is RotJ. I know many of the over all shape features remain the same, but still.

I'm wondering actually if I don't need to bring the upper corners of my cheeks outward a bit. That might affect the way the face size appears in relation to the dome, but I don't want to change it unless I need to.

If anyone can by chance offer measurements of various features for me to check against my own that would help too.

You may be right, but it's possible the pics just don't show the asymmetry very well. It has one side of the neck out further than the other, one cheek is upswept, one eye is larger than the other, the mouth is not symmetrical, etc. The dome is also not symmetrical, as one side of the flange/brow sort of curves out a little more at the top going straighter down at the side, and the other side is narrower at the brow and sweeps out a tad more at the bottom. I'm trying to find that fine line between enough asymmetry to give it the right character, but yet not so much as to make it look wonky at a glance.

It looks beautiful... but is the neck piece right? Maybe its just the lighting on it or something but it seems a little off to me is it really that round in the films? I could be wrong though. It sure is nice and shiny though.

I have some pics of the process, but it was such an involved and tedious job I only got pics that represent about 10% of what I did on it. I put all my efforts on the actual work this time, as I had given myself a time limit... which I have already passed by a bit, due to the fact that the amt of work I had to do on it turned out to be more than I even expected.

GB, it looks very much like ANH Vader to me. I'm not a Vader expert, so take it for what it's worth. I think there's something odd about the neck, like it's too fat or something. If you're going for ANH Vader, the widow's peak doesn't look right to me. Again, I'm not a Vader connousieur.

BTW, are most Vaders out there over 6' tall?

At 5'7" I'm too short to make a convincing Darth Vader. Lord Helmet from Spaceballs, maybe, but not Vader.

In profile the widow's peak appears more pointed downward than it does front on. It's RotJ. Oh, and I have fixed the neck shape since the earlier pics. It is narrower on the sides now, not as flared outward at the bottom either.

I went ahead and repositioned the dome mount. It is now just a shade lower in the back, angled downward more. Some people like the RotJ dome sitting up higher, but I don't really care for that look.

When this lid is finished it should have very sharp details, and a very smooth surface. I won't call this one finished until it's so slick a housefly wouldn't be able to climb it.

Oh, and as for the height thing... it's my opinion that anyone should be able to costume as they wish (I'm only 5'5" myself - but I don't costume as Vader) however, Vader in the movies stands just a few inches shy of 7 fett tall. I constructed a Vader helmet that is meant for people who are not quite full Vader size, but I personally still wouldn't use it at my height. The lid I made is good for people who stand (in costume) maybe just a bit under 6.5 feet tall - or so.